A masked gunman disguised as a police officer sh0t and k!lled a Minnesota state representative and her husband and wounded a state senator and his wife in two back-to-back shootings on Saturday, June 14.

 

 

 

Democratic former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were k!lled in their Brooklyn Park home. Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their Champlin address, about 9 miles (about 15 kilometers) away.

 

 

 

Hours after the shootings, the suspected gunm@n, who has been identified as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter remained on the run.

 

 

 

The Minnesota governor described the k!lling of Mrs Hortman and her husband as a “politically motivated assassination.”

 

 

“We’re here today because an unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota,” Mr Walz said. “My good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated ass@ ssination. Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends.”

 

 

 

At a press conference, Brooklyn Park’s police chief, Mark Bruley, said the assailant “drive a vehicle that looked exactly like an SUV squad car. It was equipped with lights, emergency lights, that looked exactly like a police vehicle, and yes, they were wearing a vest with taser, other equipment, a badge very similar to mine, that, no question, if they were in this room, you would assume that they are a police officer.”

 

 

 

 

Authorities said they’re still investigating if Boelter knew the victims in Saturday’s shootings, although it was known he served on a state workforce development board alongside Hoffman.

 

 

 

Boelter helped lead the private security firm Praetorian Guard Security Services, which is based in the Twin Cities area, according to the company website. A husband and father, according to an online biography, he has touted an extensive background in security and military training, according to an ABC News review of his online presence and professional history.

 

 

 

Boelter, who was wearing a realistic latex mask at the time of the sho0tings, according to police, also had a target list with the names of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, according to law enforcement sources.

 

 

 

Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, confirmed the assailant had a list of those targeted.

 

“There was a list of individuals, and the individuals that were targeted in this situation were on that list,” Mr Evans said, adding it was “far too early in the investigation” to determine the motive of the shooter.